Mechanism for moving pressing chest



A ril 16, 1968 J. DE MAR STEWART 3,378,173

MECHANISM FOR MOVING PRESSING CHEST 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2'7, 1966 lNl/ENTOR Jack De Mar Jzfewart AGENT April 16, 196.8 J. DE MAR STEWART 3,378,178

- MECHANISM FOR MOVING PRESSING CHEST Filed July 27, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet M FIG. 3 w

.M 5 I i i (1 n mill 2 NW} 7 l 1 17 VJ; H i i 1 I -u i 2 I l I 40 l l L" w I I i 39 I .1 1- 1- l I i I I i 1 l United States Patent 3,378,178 MECHANISM FOR MQVING DRESSING CHEST Jack De Mar Stewart, Webster, N.Y., assignor to McGraw-Edison Company, Elgin, IlL, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 27, 1966, Ser. No. 568,315 4 Claims. (Cl. 223- 57) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a combination toggle-eccentric mechanism which operates as a toggle through a first portion of its stroke and as an eccentric through the remaining portion for moving pressing chests into closed positions relative to a buck or similar device of a pressing or ironing machine. The toggle-eccentric mechanism comprises a pair of toggle arms respectively pivoted at their outer ends to the frame of the machine and to a pressing chest and pivoted at their inner ends to a shiftable connector plate on axes offset from each other. Pivotally connected also to the connector plate is a connecting rod of an air cylinder which is pivoted at its base to the frame. As the connector plate is moved by the air cylinder through a major portion of its stroke it is guided by cams on the frame to move the toggle arms by a toggle action until the toggle arms reach a substantially straight relationship to each other, but in the further and final portion of the power stroke the connector plate rides off the cams and comes against a stop to cause it to turn and move the toggle arms further apart by an eccentric action.

Objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved mechanism for closing and opening pressing chests relative to a buck, which permits the chests to follow up the buck as the padding beats or breaks down while still exerting a uniform pressure against the buck, and which permits the chests to close out of synchronism while still exerting uniform pressure when both chests are closed.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

In the description of my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial end view of a shirt pressing machine showing a buck in dash-dot lines and two cooperating pressing chests in open positions with toggleeccentric mechanisms according to the invention for moving the chests into and out of engagement with the buck;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of one of the toggleeccentric mechanisms as seen from the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fractional right hand side elevational view to reduced scale of the apparatus shown in FIGURE FIGURE 4 is a fractional view of the right toggleeccentric mechanism of FIGURE 1, showing the mechanism in the operated position which it assumes when the chest is engaged with the buck; and

FIGURE 5 is a central sectional view of the toggleeccentric mechanism taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

The shirt pressing machine shown partially in the above figures comprises a frame including two spaced parallel upright channel bars and 11 at the right side of the machine (FIGURES 1 and 3) and two spaced parallel upright channel bars 12 and 13 at the left side thereof. The two pairs of channel bars are equally spaced from the medial longitudinal plane P of the machine and symmetrically located with respect to a plane M transverse to the "ice plane P (FIGURE 3). Nearer to the end of the machine at equal distances from. the longitudinal plane P are two upright angle bars 14 and 15. The angle bar 14 is joined to the next adjacent channel bar 10 by two braces 16 and 17 welded therto and likewise the angle bar is joined to the channel bar 13 by similar braces 18 and 19 fractionally shown.

Mounted on a carriage 20 fractionally shown is a buck 21 which is centered with respect to the medial longitudial plane P. The buck is to have a shirt S dressed thereon as indicated in FIGURE 3. The carriage 29 is mounted for movement along the longitudinal plane P as from a dressing station (not shown) to a pressing station wherein the buck is located between two spaced pressing chests 22 and 23. The pressing chests have smooth inner surfaces which conform to the buck, and are heated as by steam or electrical means. Each chest has a lower pair of lugs 24 and an upper pair of lugs 25 to which the ends of respective horizontal arms 26 and 27 are pivotally connected. The other ends of these arms are pivotally connected to respective pairs of lugs 28 and 29 welded to the respective upright angle irons 14 and 15. The lugs 24 and 25 on each chest are secured to respective mounting plates 30 bolted at 31 to a central portion of the chest. When the bolts 31 are loosened the chests can be adjusted vertically by respective adjusting bolts 32 having left and right threaded end portions which thread through respective brackets 33 and 34 secured respectively to the mounting plate 30 and to the chest. An integral noncircular central portion of each bolt enables the bolt to be turned by a wrench. Further, the support arms 26 and 27 include central tubular portions which are left and right threaded to the end portions pivotally connected to the chest and angle irons so that the chest can be adjusted sidewise as with respect to the buck. By these vertical and horizontal adjustments each chest can be made to conform to the respective side of the buck 21.

The upper pairs of lugs 25 on each. chest are extended to pass through the spaces between the pairs of channel bars 10-11 and 1213. The end portions of these lugs have respective rollers 35 journaled thereon which engage respective cam plates 36 to guide the chests in a parallel movement through about one inch travel as they are moved into and out of engagement with the buck and to guide the chests in a swinging movement therebeyond.

The chests are moved by special toggle-eccentric mechanisms 37 into their closed and open positions relative to the buck 21. Each toggle-eccentric mechanism 37 is interposed between a chest and respective pair of channel bars 1041 or 1243. The toggle-eccentric mechanism comprises a first arm 38 having an apertured lug 38a pivoted between the respective channel bars on a shaft 39 journaled in cylindrical bearings 40 which are welded to the inner walls of the channel bars (FIGURE 3), and a second arm 41 which has a universal connection to an apertured lug 41a which is pivotally connected at 42 between a respective pair of brackets 43 extending obliquely outwardly and towards the end of the machine from the mounting plate 30 as shown in FIGURE 1. The inner end of the arm 38 is connected to a yoke 44 (FIGURE 2) and the inner end of the arm 41 is threaded into a tubular extension 45. The yoke 44 embraces a pair of spaced connector plates 46 and 47 and has inwardly extending trunnions 48 on a common axis which pivot in the connector plates. The tubular extension of the arm 41 terminates in an apertured lug 4512 which is pivoted on a cross pin 49 secured at its ends in the connector plates. The cross pin 49 on which the arm 41 is pivoted is otfset slightly from the axis of the trunnions 48 as is shown in FIGURE 5. This is done to provide an eccentric action at the end of the operation of the toggle mechanism as is later explained.

The inner walls of the connector plates 46 and 47 are milled on the line 50 (FIGURE 5) so as to provide a wider spacing between the lower wall portions thereof. Bridging these lower wall portions is a yoke 51 pivoted to the connector plates by trunnions 52. The yoke is connected to a connecting rod 53 of an air cylinder 54 which is located between the respective channel bars. This air cylinder has an apertured lug 55 at its lower end pivoted by cross pin 56 between a pair of cylindrical bearings 57 welded to the inner walls of the channel bars.

Journaled on the outer walls of the connector plates 46 and 47 are respective pairs of upper and lower rollers 58-59 and 60-61. Each roller is spaced from the sidewall of the connector plate by a washer 62 so as to locate the roller beyond the side arms of the yoke 44. Secured by welding to the inside walls of the channel bars 10-11 and 12-13 respectively are cam plates 63 and 64 which lie directly opposite the connector plates 46 and 47 These cam plates have cam surfaces 63a and 6454 which are arcuate about the pivot center 39 and which are each about 120 in length. When the toggle mechanism stands closed to hold the chests in open position as shown in FIGURE 1, the rollers 58-59 and 60-61 rest respectively on the lower portions of the cam surfaces 63a and 64a. As the connector plates are propelled upwardly by the air cylinders the rollers 58-59 and 60-61 ride upwardly under pressure on the cam surfaces 63a and 64a until the upper rollers move over the upper ends of the cam surfaces. At this point the toggle mechanism is open-i.e., the arms 38 and '41 are approximately straight to each other. In response to a further propulsion of the air cylinders, the connector plates are turned about a mean center between the pivots 48 and 49 with the upper rollers 58 and 60 moving across the top of the cam plates 63 and 64 until they come to a stop by abutment against a crossbar 65 bridging the space between the channel bars. At the same time the lower rollers 59 and 61 are swung away from the cam plates as shown in FIGURE 4. As the connector plates are moved into their final positions, the pivot trunnions 52 are moved past the toggle arm 41 with the arm coming into the central space of the yoke 51. In response to this turning of the connector plates the toggle arms 38 and 41 are moved about one-half inch farther apart due to the eccentricity between the pivots 48 and 49.

The air cylinders are enabled to exert about equal pressure on the chests throughout the final turning of the connector plates. This means that the chests can follow the buck and continue to exert uniform pressure if the padding of the buck breaks or beats down. Also, there is the advantage that the chests need not be synchronized since one chest can be closed completely before the other is even started and still the chests will exert uniform pressure on the buck when both are closed.

The embodiment of my invention herein particularly shown and described is intended to be illustrative and not necessarily lirnitative of my invention since the same is subject to changes and modifications without departure from the scope of my invention, which I endeavor to set forth by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a garment pressing machine: the combination of a frame, a buck mounted on said frame for holding a garment to be pressed, a pressing chest mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said buck, a toggle mechanism between said frame and chest comprising a pair .of toggle arms and interconnecting means between said toggle arms, power means connected between said frame and said interconnecting means for operating said toggle mechanism with a toggle action to move said chest towards said buck during a first portion of the power stroke and for operating said interconnecting means after the toggle arms reach a substantially straight relationship to move said chest further towards said buck during a final portion of the power stroke, wherein said interconnecting means comprises a connector member to which the arms of the toggle mechanism are pivoted at axes offset from each other to form an eccentric, and wherein said drive means includes an air cylinder having a connecting rod pivotally connected to said connector member at a point offset from said axes, said connecting rod being movable in a direction tending to turn said connector member, and means to hold said connector member constrained against turning until said arms of the toggle mechanism reach a substantially straight relationship to each other.

2. The garment pressing machine set forth in claim 1 wherein said constraining means comprises a pair of guide rollers on said connector member and a cam plate on said frame against which said guide rollers run, said cam plate being shaped to allow said connector member to be turned after said arms reach a substantially straight relationship where-by to further move said chest by the eccentric coupling between said arms.

3. In a garment pressing machine: the combination of a frame including a pair of spaced parallel frame members, a buck mounted on said frame in position spaced from said frame members and located symmetrically with respect to a medial plane between said frame members, a pressing chest between a side of said buck and said frame members mounted for movement into and .out of engagement with the buck, a toggle mechanism between the chest and said frame members comprising a first arm pivoted to a central portion of the back side of said chest, a second arm pivoted to said frame members, a pair of spaced parallel connector members between said frame members to which the inner ends of said arms are pivotally connected at points offset from each other forming an eccentric, an air cylinder below said toggle mechanism pivotally connected at its lower end to said frame members and having a connecting rod pivotally connected at its upper end to said connector members, a cam plate on the inner side of each of said frame members, and a pair of upper and lower guide rollers journaled on the outer side of each of said connector members and movable along the respective cam plate to guide said connector members in a movement about the pivot axis of said second arm on said frame members as said toggle mechanism is opened by said air cylinder, said cam plates being shaped to permit said connector members to be turned by said air cylinder to operate as an eccentric to move said toggle arms farther apart during the final portion of the forward stroke of the air cylinder.

4. The garment pressing machine set forth in claim 3 wherein said cam plates are sector shaped and positioned to cause the upper guide rollers to ride off the upper ends of the cam plates as said toggle mechanisms reach their open positions, including a stop member against which said upper guide rollers abut during the operation of said connector members as an eccentric.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,241,373 5/1941 Rawlinson et al. 223-57 2,451,845 10/1948 Lornitzo et al 38-41 2,517,123 8/1950 Lornitzo et al. 3841 2,757,832 8/ 1956 Johnson et al. 223-57 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

